This invention relates in general to cleaning compositions, and, more particularly, to metal and fiberglass cleaners and polish.
Metal cleaning and polish formulations typically contain a solvent to remove surface organic contaminants, surfactants to emulsify the solvent into a water vehicle, other surfactants to help rinse residues from a cleaned surface, acids to dioxide contaminants, and abrasives to help the acids deoxidize contaminants and to help polish the cleaned metal surface. However, these products generally contain sharp, jagged, abrasive particles of about 15 microns in size. Although these abrasives will polish metal surfaces, scratching generally occurs with the softer metals such as brass. In addition, current systems utilize sizable quantities of ammonia as a penetrating agent, and this can cause discomfort to the user. Other metal cleaners may solely comprise acids which are used to clean oxidation contaminants. These may be too aggressive in that permanent metal damage can occur, and the residues of such cleaners could result in environmental disposal concerns.
After cleaning contaminated surfaces such as brass, a blackish colored residue must be physically removed with a cloth, or may sometimes be rinsed with clean water and a cloth. This process often results in re-application of these residues from rags back onto the metal surface, with undesirable cleaning results. Similar problems result from cleaning other metal surfaces, including copper, gold, silver, stainless steel, chrome, aluminum, anodized aluminum, magnesium, pewter, nickel, bronze and factory gun bluing.
Some typical metal cleaners and polishes have gelatinous or paste-like high viscosity, requiring a separate rag or applicator to apply. Application is difficult due to this high viscosity, which is necessary so that finely divided polish powders can be held in even suspension throughout the body of the cleaner. If the cleaner is allowed to dry on the metal surface, removal of oxidation contaminants becomes very difficult using conventional dry polishing cloths. In most cases, the metal has to be re-wetted and cleaned once again with the paste-like cleaner so contaminants may be thoroughly removed. Another disadvantage with using this type of cleaner on surfaces having an excess of oxidation contaminants is that the powder polish portion of the formulation needs the assistance of additional abrasion such as metal brushes to completely clean the metal. An additional disadvantage is that if a plentiful supply of clean polishing cloths are not readily available, then the user has a tendency to reapply contaminants back onto the metal surface. Still other products are currently available that exhibit a non-gelatinous consistency. They are generally used by pouring the cleaner into a bowl and then dipping a cloth into the polish to distribute it on the surface to be cleaned. This process is very messy and time consuming, and produces a large amount of waste.
Similarly, prior attempts to clean fiberglass have included compositions incorporating solvent, harsh acids, detergent, and mechanical abrasion. Problems associated with such prior conventional cleaning processes include softening, scratching, and discoloration of these types of fiberglass surfaces.
There is, therefore, a need to provide a metal and fiberglass cleaning and polish article having non-scratching abrasive characteristics that will provide a low viscosity, easily applied cleaner which does not require numerous applicator and polishing towels. There is also a need to provide such a cleaning and polishing article which does not require the cleaner or oxidation contaminants to be rinsed or removed using additional towels.